Golden Harvest Food Bank Unveils 10-Year Plan
Golden Harvest unveiled its plan to end hunger across the 25 counties it serves on Sept. 17, National Hunger Action Day.
The food bank’s leadership team and Board of Directors announced a new 10-year strategic plan after nine months of research and planning.
Data from the USDA shows an 8.8 million meal gap annually across the Food Bank’s 25-county service territory. Around one in seven people and one in five children struggle with hunger. Golden Harvest’s strategic plan aims to bridge this meal gap by increasing food distribution until the need for food assistance is fully met across this 11,000-square-mile area. The food bank intends to be distributing 20.3 million meals annually by 2030.
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Golden Harvest Food Bank has invested more than $4 million of its December 2020 gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in its new strategic plan.
“Phase one of increasing our capacity and impact will include renovating our Augusta warehouse location, adding a volunteer experience area, conference rooms and office space,” said Amy Breitmann, Golden Harvest’s executive director. “We have been intentional in creating a vision for this building that will give all who enter a chance to see scope of our work with views directly into our warehouse. This project will be partially funded through a portion of the gift we received from MacKenzie Scott, and we will invite the community to contribute as well.”
The Food Bank’s 10-year plan consists of six key initiatives: investing in its community partner agencies, strengthening Food Bank programs for vulnerable populations, partnering with healthcare providers, piloting new programs and services to increase food distribution, advocating for state and federal support, and educating the community on hunger in our area and how to help.
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Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation Announces $700,000 Commitment to Racial Equality
The Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation will donate $700,000 across its service area to charities to improve equity and social justice.
On the six-month anniversary of the attack on two Atlanta spas, the Foundation committed the first $100,000 to charities that help raise awareness of and strive to end bias against the AAPI community, which includes anyone of Asian, Asian American or Pacific Islander ancestry.
“Together as individuals and as an organization, the Southern Company Gas family of companies is committed to speaking out against anti-Asian hate and discrimination, ensuring that all people feel welcomed, valued and respected,” said Bryan Batson, executive vice president, chief external and public affairs officer for Southern Company Gas and president of the Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation. “Throughout the next year, the Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation will partner with other funds and organizations to directly support the safety and dignity of minorities in the communities we are privileged to serve.”
As part of this commitment, the foundation is donating $10,000 to the AAPI Crime Victims & Education Fund – the first national fund for AAPI victims of racially motivated crimes. The fund was founded by AAPI community leaders and organizations in Georgia. The company is donating another $5,000 to the Asian American Bar Foundation in Houston, which has a mission to educate and serve Asian American lawyers and communities in the greater Houston area.
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Jessye Norman School of the Arts Awarded for After-school Programming
The Jessye Norman School of the Arts has won the 2021 Georgia ASYD Excellence Award for After School Programming from the Georgia After School & Youth Development Initiative.
The announcement was made during the virtual 2021 Georgia ASYD Conference held Sept. 14 to Sept. 16.
The excellence award is given to Georgia organizations that offer excellent after school and youth development programs to meet the needs of area young people and their families.
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The Jessye Norman School of the Arts offers year-round, free arts education to students in the CSRA. Its programs are open to students from fourth grade to 12th grade. The school predominantly serves students from low to moderate income backgrounds, and students get to choose their path among five disciplines: dance, drama, music, visual arts and digital arts.
“The school is honored by this award, which recognizes JNSA as one of Georgia’s preeminent after-school programs,” said Executive Director Gary Dennis. “The school is named after Ms. Jessye Norman, an Augusta native who came from meager beginnings and went on to become one of the greatest opera singers of all time. We strive to honor Ms. Norman’s legacy by providing extraordinary arts experiences to students of every background, and by helping our students to become accomplished, caring, and responsible citizens of this world.”
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